Radio Frequency components used in the Wi-Fi hotspot on the Fan Mile in Berlin

September saw the start of the pilot phase of a public gigabit Wi-Fi access point on the famous Fan Mile in Berlin, Germany. HUBER+SUHNER is providing Wi-Fi antennas and coaxial cables, thus playing its part in enabling users in the area to surf, chat and stream for free for 30 minutes.

Pole position: 850 bhp e-racer

Chassis manufacturer Lola, and the British Paul Drayson Racing Team this year presented the prototype of the first purely electrically powered racing car. RADOX-high voltage cables from HUBER+SUHNER can be found under the bonnet of the Lola-Drayson B12/69EV.

While hybrid technology is only slowly making inroads into motorsports, car manufacturers in the UK are already one step ahead. In 2012, the Lola Group and Drayson Racing presented the Lola-Drayson B12/69EV. The distinctive feature of this racing car is hidden under the bonnet: it is driven by an electric motor only. With a weight of 1,000 kg, the B12/69V may be a bit heavier than current sports prototypes, but the electric motor does generate 850 bhp. As with a petrol engine, it is mounted in the middle of the car behind the driver and transfers its output directly to the rear wheels without a transmission. The batteries are located in the sidepods.

Voltages of up to 750 volts
The high-voltage electrical system was equipped with shielded RADOX® battery cables and RADOX 4GKW-AX cables from HUBER+SUHNER. The cables transport currents of up to 1,400 ampere and DV voltages up to 750 volts. Thanks to additional shielding and the fact that the highvoltage units are connected via the RADOX Automotive Connection System (RACS), the high voltages can be safety transmitted without interfering with on-board electronics.

E-motorsports on the rise
The B12/69V is currently designed to drive only a single fast lap, making it impossible to participate in longdistance races such as Le Mans. However, according to Lord Drayson, Managing Partner at Drayson Racing technologies and President of the Motorsport Industry Association: “all-electric racing cars represent significant new business opportunities for motorsport”. Formula E, a championship for electric vehicles which is planned to run for the first time in 2013, will mean a massive increase in significance for electrically powered motorsport. Although the B12/69V is a prototype, and not yet ready to compete in its first race, it has already taken the pole position for engineering.